Program Overview

Crop and Soil Sciences (BS): Agronomy

The Bachelor of Science in Crop and Soil Sciences degree with a concentration in Agronomy is a flexible program that allows students to choose from a wide range of courses, based on their personal interests and career goals. Students gain understanding of how plants grow, how the environment impacts crop productivity, and how management and marketing decisions affect profits. Graduates of this program will feed and clothe a growing global population.

Plan Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Hours
  • Orientation
    • ALS 103 | First-year Success in Agriculture and Life Sciences | 1
    • or ALS 303 | Transfer Success in Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Mathematics & Natural Sciences
    • MA 121 | Elements of Calculus | 3
    • ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3
    • BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4
    • CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3
    • CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1
    • CH 220 | Introductory Organic Chemistry | 3
    • CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1
    • PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | 3
    • PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | 4
    • BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4
    • or PB 200 | Plant Life
  • Communication/Advanced Writing
    • COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3
    • or COM 112 | Interpersonal Communication
    • Select one:
      • AEE 311 | Communication Methods and Media | 3
      • ENG 331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology | 3
      • ENG 332 | Communication for Business and Management | 3
      • ENG 333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3
  • Required Courses within Major
    • ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3
    • CSSC 290 | Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences | 1
    • CS 211 | Plant Genetics | 3
    • CS 213 | Crop Science 1 | 3
    • CS 214 | Crop Science Laboratory 1 | 1
    • CS 414 | Weed Science | 4
    • CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3
    • SSC 200 | Soil Science 1 | 3
    • SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory 1 | 1
    • SSC 341 | Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management | 3
    • SSC 342 | Soil and Plant Nutrient Analysis | 1
    • SSC 462 | Soil-Crop Management Systems | 3
  • Electives
    • Foundation Elective (select one):
      • CS 224 | Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies | 3
      • CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3
      • SSC 185 | Land and Life | 3
    • Crop Production Electives (select two):
      • CS 216 | Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco | 3
      • CS 218 | Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans | 3
      • CS 251 | Production of Forage Crops | 3
    • Experiential Learning (select one):
      • CSSC 492 | Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | 3
      • CSSC 493 | Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | 3
  • Restricted Electives
    • Course List Code | Title | Hours
      • ACC 280 | Survey of Financial and Managerial Accounting | 3
      • ARE 215 | Small Business Accounting | 3
      • ARE 303 | Farm Management | 3
      • ARE 304 | Agribusiness Management | 3
      • ARE 306 | Agricultural Law | 3
      • ARE 309 | Environmental Law & Economic Policy | 3
      • ARE 311 | Agricultural Markets | 3
      • ARE 312 | Agribusiness Marketing | 3
      • ARE 323 | Agribusiness Finance | 3
      • ARE 332 | Human Resource Management for Agribusiness | 3
      • ARE 336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | 3
      • BAE 325 | Introductory Geomatics | 3
      • BAE 435/535 | Precision Agriculture Technology | 3
      • BAET 323 | Water Management | 3
      • CS 216 | Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco | 3
      • CS 218 | Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans | 3
      • CS 224 | Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies | 3
      • CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3
      • CS 251 | Production of Forage Crops | 3
      • CS 411 | | 3
      • CS 413 | Plant Breeding | 2
      • CS 418/518 | Introduction to Regulatory Science in Agriculture | 3
      • CS 428/528 | Advanced Regulatory Science in Agriculture | 3
      • CS 424/524 | Seed Physiology | 3
      • CS 430/530 | Advanced Agroecology | 4
      • ENT 425 | General Entomology | 3
      • FS 222 | Discover: Conventional, Organic and Genetically Engineered Foods | 3
      • GIS 280 | Introduction to GIS | 3
      • PP 315 | Principles of Plant Pathology | 4
      • SSC 185 | Land and Life | 3
      • SSC 332 | Environmental Soil Microbiology | 3
      • SSC 440/540 | Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Soil Science and Agriculture | 3
      • SSC 427 | Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems | 3
      • SSC 410 | Soil Judging for Land Evaluation | 1
      • SSC 442 | Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry | 3
      • SSC 452 | Soil Classification | 4
      • SSC 455 | Soils, Environmental Quality and Global Challenges | 3
      • SSC 461 | Soil Physical Properties and Plant Growth | 3
      • SSC 545 | | 3
  • General Education Program (GEP) Courses
    • ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4
    • GEP Humanities | 6
    • GEP Social Sciences | 3
    • GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2
    • GEP Elective | 3
    • GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 2
    • GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
    • GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement)
    • World Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
  • Free Electives
    • Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 2 | 6
  • Total Hours | 120

Semester Sequence

This is a sample plan of study.

• Plan of Study Grid First Year
  • Fall Semester
    • ALS 103 | First-year Success in Agriculture and Life Sciences | 1
    • or ALS 303 | Transfer Success in Agriculture and Life Sciences
    • BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4
    • ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4
    • MA 121 | Elements of Calculus | 3
    • Foundation Elective (select one):
      • CS 224 | Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies
      • CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology
      • SSC 185 | Land and Life
    • CSSC 290 | Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences | 1
    • Total Hours | 16
  • Spring Semester
    • CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3
    • CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1
    • COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3
    • or COM 112 | Interpersonal Communication
    • BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4
    • or PB 200 | Plant Life
    • Restricted Electives | 3
    • GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1
    • Total Hours | 15
• Second Year
  • Fall Semester
    • ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3
    • CS 213 | Crop Science | 3
    • CS 214 | Crop Science Laboratory | 1
    • ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3
    • GEP Humanities | 3
    • GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1
    • Total Hours | 14
  • Spring Semester
    • CH 220 | Introductory Organic Chemistry | 3
    • CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1
    • SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3
    • SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory | 1
    • PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | 3
    • GEP Humanities | 3
    • GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 2
    • Total Hours | 16
• Third Year
  • Fall Semester
    • CS 414 | Weed Science | 4
    • SSC 341 | Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management | 3
    • Crop Production Electives (select one):
      • CS 216 | Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco
      • CS 218 | Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans
      • CS 251 | Production of Forage Crops
    • Restricted Electives | 6
    • Total Hours | 16
  • Spring Semester
    • CS 211 | Plant Genetics | 3
    • Select one:
      • AEE 311 | Communication Methods and Media
      • ENG 331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology
      • ENG 332 | Communication for Business and Management
      • ENG 333 | Communication for Science and Research
    • SSC 342 | Soil and Plant Nutrient Analysis | 1
    • Crop Production Electives (select one):
      • CS 216 | Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco
      • CS 218 | Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans
      • CS 251 | Production of Forage Crops
    • Restricted Electives | 6
    • Total Hours | 16
• Fourth Year
  • Fall Semester
    • PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | 4
    • Experiential Learning (select one):
      • CSSC 492 | Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
      • CSSC 493 | Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
    • Restricted Electives | 2
    • GEP Social Sciences | 3
    • Free Elective | 3
    • Total Hours | 15
  • Spring Semester
    • CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3
    • SSC 462 | Soil-Crop Management Systems | 3
    • GEP Elective | 3
    • Free Elective | 3
    • Total Hours | 12
  • Total Hours | 120

Career Opportunities

Career Titles

• Agronomist
• Agronomy Sales and Management
• Crop Advisor
• Crops Systems Specialist
• Extension Agent
• Food & Drug Inspector
• Landscape Architect
• Nutrient Management/ Waste Management Specialist
• Precision Agriculture Specialist
• Research Station Manager
• Seed Production Agronomist
• Soil Conservation Technician
• Soil Conservationist
• Soil Engineer
• Soil Scientist
• Winemaker / Vinter